New Orleans, LA – Zach Miller’s false start penalty at the end of the first quarter put the Oakland Raiders in a 3^rd and 14 situation they could not convert. Shane Lechler then booted a sky-high punt that forced Reggie Bush to make a fair catch at the New Orleans 12-yard line.

 But that’s where Drew Brees began to dissect the Raiders pass defense. Brees was locked in on his targets, smashing his career best 11-for-11 start, going 14-for-14 for 136 passing yards. The Saints drive that ended in a Reggie Bush 3-yard scamper into the end zone covered 86 yards on 18 plays and took up 10:59. The one time that the football hit the turf for the Saints was on a 3^rd and goal where Brees could not connect with Bush, but that play was negated by a Kalimba Edwards offsides penalty.

 After the Saints took a 7-3 lead, Taylor Mehlhaff booted the ensuing kickoff out of bounds setting the Raiders up at their own 40-yard line. Darren McFadden then got his first touch of the game with a 7-yard run to begin the drive. JaMarcus Russell then scrambled for 11 yards before the 2-minute warning. A draw play to McFadden gained 3-yards and on 3^rd and 7, Russell had to avoid the Saints pass rush before he tossed an incomplete pass to Javon Walker to end the Raider threat.

 Sebastian Janikowski missed on a 57-yard field good attempt, giving the Saints the ball at their own 47-yard line with 1:48 remaining.

 The streaking Brees continued with his pin point accuracy, hooking up with Devery Henderson for 17 yards and then with Lance Moore for 18 yards to the Oakland 18-yard line. At that point, Brees was 16-of-16 for 171 yards. His first incompletion came on a fade route to Bush, who was working on Jon Alston on the sideline on his way to the end zone. Immediately after, he tossed another incompletion, ruled intentional grounding that led to a 44 yard field goal attempt by Mehlhaff. The rookie kicker connected and the Saints took a 10-3 lead with 50 seconds remaining in the half.

 Oakland mounted one last effort as time wound down. Again Johnnie Lee Higgins gave the Raiders a big play in the passing game, streaking for 35-yards on the first play of their final drive of the half. But then Russell appeared rattled, poorly throwing a ball intended for Ashley Lelie on the next play, forcing the receiver to defend what could have been an interception. Lelie was flagged for offensive pass interference pushing the Raiders back 10-yards to the 50.

 Another bad read by Russell, which was almost picked off by Roman Harper displayed the struggles passer had as the half wound down. He was able to hit Zach Miller for 9 yards to set up a Janikowski 59-yard field goal attempt, but the kick was wide left and the Saints took a 10-3 lead into the half.

a2a_linkname="Live from New Orleans: 2nd Quarter"; a2a_linkurl="http://www.sbreport.net/raider_news/008/543.html";

New Orleans, LA – The Oakland Raiders started quickly once again this afternoon, shutting down the New Orleans Saints on their initial possession with a stout three and out and then getting on the board on their opening drive.

Gibril Wilson made key stops on all three of the Saints first plays, one tackle in the open field on a misdirection on 3^rd and 8 that gain 6-yards.

Johnnie Lee Higgins continued his solid start to the season on special teams returning the game’s first punt 35-yards and setting up Oakland’s offense at the New Orleans 39-yard line.

Nine plays later, Oakland had a 3-0 lead on a 24-yard field goal by Sebastian Janikowski. During the drive, JaMarcus Russell hit Ronald Curry on a 2^nd and 8 for 13 yards and then again on a 3^rd and 7 for 11 yards.

On the Saints ensuing possession, Drew Brees connected with Reggie Bush on a 21-yard pass and then with tight end Mark Campbell for 29 yards to set up a scoring opportunity deep in Oakland territory. But Jammal Brown’s two holding penalties thwarted the Saints drive and put them in a daunting 3^rd and 22. On 4^th down, Taylor Mehlhaff’s 31 yard field goal attempt was no good, as costly penalties and mistakes kept the Saints from scoring in the first quarter.

Oakland ended the quarter with the ball and in the midst of a drive that ended in Saints territory. Russell again connected with his targets, hitting Javon Walker on a 3^rd and 5 for 7 yards and again with Curry on a 3^rd and 2 for 8 yards.

Saints missed out on a opportunity to pick off Russell for the second time in the quarter when Randall Gay dropped a near interception on a ball thrown behind Ashley Lelie.

Score at the end of the 1^st quarter: Oakland 3 – New Orleans 0

NOTES:

• Brees ended the 1^st quarter 6/6 for 88 yards
• Curry had 3 grabs for 32 yards 

a2a_linkname="Live from New Orleans: 1st Quarter"; a2a_linkurl="http://www.sbreport.net/raider_news/008/539.html";

Oak–Sebastian Janikowski 24-yard field goal, 13:20

Notes:

– The Raiders faced a third-and-14 from their own 45 after a false start penalty on Zach Miller on third-and-9.

Wide receiver Ronald Curry appears to have come alive, catching his third pass of the quarter and his second third-down conversion with an 8-yard reception on third-and-2.

– Jamal Brown was flagged twice for holding and Tyler Mehelhaff missed his first field goal attempt from 31 yards out as the Saints failed to score on their second drive.

Brees was 5-for-5 for 82 yards on the drive, and demonstrated why blitzing him is risky business when Gibril Wilson flew in from the left side and Brees dumped a screen to Mark Campbell for a 29-yard gain.

– Johnnie Lee Higgins’ 35-yard punt return to his right set the Raiders up at the New Orleans 39 on their first posession, and two connenctions from Russell to Curry _ a 13-yard pass to the sideline and an 11-yard strike to the 10 on third-and-8 _ got the Raiders close.

They continued to be unable to punch it in. Fargas gained four tough yards to the 6, then Russell twice threw incomplete. Scott Shanle hit Miller as Russell’s pass arrived on second down, and a third-down pass to Higgins in the end zone was deflected and nearly intercepted by Roman Harper.

Harper dropped the gift interception, with Janikowski coming in to kick the field goal.

– Wilson was responsible for giving the Saints a three-and-out on their first possession, stopping Bush after a 5-yard run, dumping Bush for a 3-yard loss on a sweep, and then upending Mark Campbell on what appeared to be a perfectly set-up screen after a 6-yard gain.

For the Saints, WR Marques Colston and TE Jeremy Shockey are inactive. During the week, Saints coach Sean Payton was floating the idea that both could be ready to play.

Other Saints inacties were CB Aaron Glenn, S Kevin Kaesviharn, WR David Patten, DT Antwan Lake and DT Sedrick Ellis. Joey Harrington is the third quarterback

New Orleans, LA – For the Oakland Raiders (1-3), a win today at New Orleans could wash away much of the stage show that has surrounded them since the start of the season and through its bye week.

One key aspect of the game will be how the offense will look with coordinator Greg Knapp in full control of the play calling.

Quarterback JaMarcus Russell has not looked like your typical first year passer, but he has not had many opportunities to get the ball down the field, as Lane Kiffin appeared to have a short leash on the former LSU product. The Raiders need to balance their offense in the coming weeks and one vital component that they will have to get involved is Javon Walker.

So far, Walker has compiled a lackluster 4 receptions for 52-yards. Not exactly what the Raiders thought they would get when they invested $55 million with $16 in guarantees during the off-season.

The passing offense needs a jolt. And stretching the field with Russell’s huge arm and getting Walker into the mix is imperative. Ronald Curry has been a disappointment as well, and his consistency has been sorely missed.

The ground game has flourished as expected, but since they were becoming easily one of the most predictable teams in the league, with the change in coaches, the Raiders can now refresh their mode of attacks and begin a new era today by diversifying an offense that is ranked 19^th overall, but on the strength of the 155 yards per game on the ground. The 153 yards per game they have amassed ranks them 29^th in the league.

And if they are going to turn the corner and move in the right direction with Cable at the helm and Knapp directing the offense, airing it out and taking advantage of the reputation they have built in running the ball is something they must take advantage of.

a2a_linkname="Live from New Orleans: Raiders at Saints"; a2a_linkurl="http://www.sbreport.net/raider_news/008/536.html";

The Raiders find themselves in New Orleans, which, with the possibility of Marcus Colston and Jeremy Shockey, promises to be anything other than the "Big Easy".

The Line has moved to Oakland +7.5, so I'm putting 50 on them to win and 50 to cover.

Here is the ESPN Preview.

This is From The Raiders "Official" Site.

This is a good write-up from Canal Strreet Chronic-als.

By the way, I HATE Warren Sapp now. I detest the fact that that fat ass took Al's millions, professed to be the leader of Ryan's Defense and has now joined the muckity mucks that like to pile on the team that had the losingest record while he was here. Perhaps your ability to stop the run contributed to that Warren?